Love Hina: Adventures In Morphing!
by Andrew Joshua Talon
Summary: ON HOLD: The first AnimorphsLove Hina XOVR. Keitaro and Kanako Urashima, Tact Carter, David Weiss, and Sayoko Minagi have been fighting the Yeerks for four years. And now, the war's over... Or is it?
1. The Revelation

*Love Hina: Adventures in Morphing!*  
  
Andrew Joshua Talon  
  
DISCLAIMER: Myu! Myuuh!  
  
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Episode 1: The Backstory: Keitaro's a Superhero? Revelation  
  
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My name is Keitaro. Keitaro Urashima.  
  
Once upon a time, I'd have been afraid to use my real name almost anywhere. Even now, I feel reluctant to say my last name and rarely use it unless I absolutely have to.  
  
Now, you might think that this is a sign of incredible paranoia, but as some anonymous CIA agent once said, "even paranoids have enemies". And I lived by this motto for about four years. And it kept me safe from death, and something far worse.  
  
You see, Earth isn't the lonely, solitary planet most people think it is. We were being invaded. Not in the lay waste to everything, War of the Worlds way, but more the Invasion of the Body Snatchers method. These aliens are called the Yeerks, grey parasitic slugs who crawl into your brain and take over. Once you're infested, what we call a Controller, the Yeerk calls all the shots. You can't even breathe by yourself when you've got a Yeerk in your brain. These Yeerks founded a vast interstellar empire to conquer the galaxy for hosts. They'd already enslaved a number of alien races: The Hork-Bajir, the Gedds, the Taxxons, and a couple others. And now, with six billion potential new hosts, they went after us.  
  
But, one race managed to resist the Yeerks. They're known as the Andalites, these blue-centaur-deer-scorpion aliens. They've been fighting them for about the last hundred years or so, but are stretched pretty thin. So thin, in fact, that a few of them, seeing that Earth was the Yeerk's next target, decided to try and give us a hand.  
  
You see, the Andalites have a technology known as morphing. They use a special blue cube that, when you touch it, you get the ability to absorb the DNA of any animal with just a touch, and then literally become that animal. However, there is one catch; if you stay in morph for longer than two hours, you're stuck as that animal.  
  
One night, when I was a freshman in high school, my little sister Kanako, her babysitter Sayako, an American exchange student and his little brother named David and Tact, and I were walking home after we all got sent to study hall together. Well, me, Sayoko, and David. Tact and Kanako had come to escort us home.  
  
It was dark, and we were taking a short cut through the woods near my grandmother's hotel, when a UFO landed right at our feet. Out stumbled an Andalite, near death. He'd managed to get to an escape pod before his ship, up in orbit, had gone kaboom. And he gave us the morphing power (plus the cube) before he finally bit the dust.  
  
Thus, over the next four years of school, the five of us fought the Yeerks in Japan. I guess I was sort of our leader, though I can't really imagine why. I never really felt brave or heroic like those generals and commanding guys do on TV.  
  
There were close shaves, and plenty of them, and after a while we all wondered why we fought anymore. We'd thrown away our childhoods, lost a lot of schooling, and just plain felt dead inside after destroying so many people.  
  
We finally found a way, though, to end the war more or less peacefully.  
  
We took the blue morph cube, called an Escafil device, and offered it to the Yeerks. They could all get the power to morph, become nothlits (people trapped in morph) and thus would no longer require hosts. American humans with the morphing power did the same thing, and (amazingly to us at the time) most of the Yeerks happily took the chance. They even agreed to leave Earth (after wiping the memory of most of the former hosts) and headed out. Humanity remained oblivious to the fact that a couple of kids saved the world.  
  
Of course, there are still a few Yeerks out there, on Earth, who didn't like the idea of just becoming a nothlit and leaving. A good-sized group of them morphed human and then touched the blue cube again after two hours, getting their powers back to fulfill their own twisted needs. Even so, my friends and I broke apart, only coming together if one of these morph-capable Yeerks started to cause trouble.  
  
Like now. At an abandoned warehouse, a number of morph-capable ex- Yeerks had begun negotiations with some big-time crime lord. And thus, we decided to pay a little visit.  
  
"ROOOOAAAAARRRR!!!" I bellowed, lunging for a seven-foot tall Hork- Bajir. I was in my prefered battle morph, an African lion. My teeth bared, my claws extended, I slashed the morphed Yeerk's legs and knocked him to the ground. Hork Bajirs are basically seven-foot tall red birds, only instead of feathers they have razor sharp spikes everywhere. A normal Hork Bajir is a gentle, kind of slow-minded but agile herbivore, who just uses their blades for cutting tree bark. The Yeerks used them as their prefered ground troops, and as a morph it served this Yeerk very well.  
  
But not well enough. He bellowed in pain when he hit the ground, writhing on his back and trying to get me with his spiked tail. I nimbly dodged his attack and closed my teeth around his neck, causing him to shriek in thought-speak, a kind of telepathy people in morph use.  
  
Aaaaaaaahhhh! What do you want?!  
  
Demorph and I won't take you apart, I stated, tightening my grip on him a bit. He winced.  
  
No! I won't! Take this, you freak! He jabbed a bladed arm at me, and I barely jumped back in time. I snarled, swiping my paw at his face. He roared at the four red streaks that marked my claw's passing. Before he could try anything else, I ripped off both of his arms, getting my paws slashed in the process but nothing else. He was now completely helpless.  
  
Well, get it over with! He growled, leaning back and closing his eyes. I shook my great head, and headed away, leaving the Yeerk to blink.  
  
Eh? You're not killing me?  
  
He just got his coat cleaned, laughed Tact, in his Siberian tiger morph. He'd finished crippling a Yeerk morphed to Taxxon and was now loping along beside me.  
  
So boss, shall we take this big guy ahead of us? Tact raised his paw toward a huge polar bear, who was lumbering toward us.  
  
Tact was very much like me, only with a bit more of a sense of humor. He'd basically been my best friend over the years, despite our age difference. He'd played the part of the joker, trying to keep everyone sane with his excessively bad sense of humor.  
  
Yup. You take his legs and I'll take his arms.  
  
Sounds like a plan. I faked to the right, then leaped past the Kodiak at top speed, slashing his front legs.  
  
GAH! You little-! He swatted at me with a massive paw, but was then caught by Tact's attack. He bellowed as he tried to push himself along the floor with his hind legs, but we soon took care of that.  
  
ARGH! He was now a helpless ball of fur. As you could probably tell, we prefered not to kill anymore if we could help it.  
  
Tact and I high-foured eachother, then looked around for anyone else.  
  
Oi vey, you two jokers already took them all down? Grumbled Sayoko, lumbering toward us in her own Hork Bajir morph. Sayoko was always a strong girl, and something of the backbone of our little group. She never backed down and never called it quits, something I found admirable, and yet sometimes frustrating. She loved the big, powerful morphs, and when she wasn't a Hork Bajir she readily went Kodiak bear.  
  
Yes, it appears so, I said, sniffing around. No, the coast was clear. The humans (plain, ordinary ones) had bolted when we'd made our appearance.  
  
Shame. I was fully stocked on venom too, said David quietly, slithering up beside Sayoko in king cobra morph. David was always kind of the loner, even while we fought together. Still, he gave us a clarity of thought where others would have fumbled. He and Tact were markedly distant though. Maybe that's why Tact got close to me as a "little brother" figure.  
  
You're always fully stocked on venom when you morph, stated Sayoko in slight annoyance. David bared his long fangs in a kind of wry smile, before he yelped and dodged, slithering closer to the great bladed herbivore.  
  
Geez Kanako, could you watch where you're going? A long, sinister looking Komodo dragon slid up to join the oval assembly. She flicked her forked tongue toward me.  
  
And let you slack off on your reflexes? Hardly. You okay, onee- chan? Kanako asked. She's always been very protective of me, her big brother. Well, okay, adopted big brother, but we're so close that distinction doesn't matter. She had blossomed into a beautiful young woman, extremely skilled at martial arts, though a bit dark in some areas. Then again, we were all dark in some aspect, after what we'd seen.  
  
Yes, no problems that can't be solved by demorphing and a good night's sleep, for once. Speaking of which, I don't know about you, but I've got a lot of studying to do. Tact shook his striped head wearily with a bemused sigh.  
  
Still shooting for Toudai, eh Keitaro?  
  
Of course. I need to keep that promise, after all. I turned and stalked out the back door, followed by the other Animorphs.  
  
My little sister coined the term "Animorphs". Animal morphers. Well, she was always better than I was at wording and such things as that. I was always more focused on not letting us get killed.  
  
We walked to a safe distance away, hidden in the trees, before demorphing.  
  
The great mane, powerful muscles, deadly fangs and claws all receded into my ordinary, twenty-year old self. I watched as a teenaged gothic girl emerged from a Hork Bajir, my dark angel of a little sister came forth from the Komodo dragon, a cool, lonesome-looking kid from a cobra, and finally a kid-next-door from a mighty tiger.  
  
"Well," I said, looking toward the sky, "I guess this is good bye, ne?"  
  
"For now, anyway," Tact said, smiling cheerfully. He began to morph to barn owl. David was morphing to great horned owl, while Sayoko started to become a great crane. My sister was morphing to sooty owl beside me, watching. I sighed, and began my own owl morph.  
  
When we were done, we all took off without a word. I guess we'd gotten so used to each other that words just weren't required anymore. Sayoko headed south for Kyoto, her home on the outer edges after she and her family had moved. It was, however, within flying distance. David headed up north, as he'd almost always lived in Toyko; a city boy. Tact, myself and Kanako were used to the smaller communities up in the mountains, where I now had a job (and a home) as manager of a girl's dormitory.  
  
So, anything new at Hinata House tonight, Fearless Leader?  
  
I really wish you'd stop calling me that.  
  
Hey, it's true, isn't it? Kanako-chan?  
  
I have to admit, onee-chan, it fits you well. I hated that annoying nickname Tact and Kanako had given me. They were the best of friends, and teamed up were more sarcastic than every bad teen stereotype on Fox put together. They'd actually sent the whole football team home crying after uniting their efforts. Then again, maybe that was because they'd both partially morphed to snake when the jocks had been giving them a hard time.  
  
Feh. I'm so tired of all this fighting, tired of being responsible for everyone all the time, I sighed.  
  
Well, hopefully, we scared those guys enough that they won't be able to get any contacts in high places. We can just hope they'll become recluses from society, Tact rationalized.  
  
Aw, what fun is that?  
  
Sheesh Kanako-chan, you can be more blood thirsty than Sayoko.  
  
Blood thirsty nothing. I just like striking fear into the hearts of the wicked, Kanako stated.  
  
Then just go as yourself. They'll be running for the hills, Tact chuckled. Kanako responded by buzzing Tact at top sooty owl speed, causing the barn owl to spiral.  
  
Hey! I swear, Kanako's owl face bore an evil smirk. Or maybe it was just the faint moonlight.  
  
Hay is for horses, Tiger-Boy.  
  
Which we both know about, Lizard-Girl. I shook my owl head and would have smiled if I had the facial muscles. In the distance, Hinata House loomed.  
  
Well, I'm off to home sweet home, Tact said, dropping back and heading for his small house. Oh, I forgot; Tact and David's parents split last year. Tact went to Hinata Springs with his mom, David with his dad to Tokyo. Now it was just Kanako and myself.  
  
Hm?  
  
What, Kei-kun?  
  
There's light in the dining room. My incredible hearing picked up loud music from the old hotel. I groaned.  
  
Oh no, Kitsune threw another wild party! I swooped low, and indeed, I could pick out the foxy lady drinking and singing and dancing badly with the other Hinata residents through the windows. Naru already looked smashed as she did a jig thing with Kitsune, Shinobu was trying hard to clean up the large mess accumulating on the floor, Haruka just sat and smoked, Motoko had a lampshade on her head, and Mutsumi was throwing back beer after beer while cheering on Kitsune and Naru. Soon, Sarah and Suu were seen raising havoc with some kind of freakish CD player/mecha/coffee grinder... thing.  
  
Geez, she always has to do this when you're away, doesn't she? Kanako asked in disgust. I sighed.  
  
Alright, time for plan B. We'll land in those bushes over there, demorph, and come in.  
  
Sounds good. However, what's our excuse? I thought hard.  
  
Well, I told them I was going out to study at the library by myself for a few hours. I'll just say I met up with you and we caught a movie. I landed silently in the foliage, my sister following a few moments later. I focused on myself, and slowly changed back into a human.  
  
"I saw the latest Ranma movie," muttered Kanako to me when she had her mouth back, "we can say that's what we saw." I nodded, and stood up. Darting to the stony path to the Hinata, I walked up it nonchalantly, Kanako only a few footsteps behind me.  
  
I was still in my jeans, shoes, T-shirt and jacket from that afternoon. After a lot of practice, we'd all figured out how to morph clothing without too much trouble. Kanako still had her witch's hat and black dress. I noted, however, that she'd lost her shoes-again. Like socks in a dryer, Kanako always lost her shoes when she morphed.  
  
I opened the front door, and walked in slowly.  
  
"KEITARO!" Screamed Suu, leaping at me and kicking me down to the floor. I was too tired to care, even with Suu and Sarah bouncing on top of me.  
  
"Where've you been? Where've you been? Where've you been?" They chanted. Kanako shook her head behind me with a small smile, shooing the Dynamic Duo away while she helped me to my feet. Kitsune stumbled up to me, reeking of sake. I wrinkled my nose as she wrapped her arms around me.  
  
"Heeeyyy, Keitawo! Where ya been? Gettin' lucky with your sis, eh?" I was too tired to even blush about this comment.  
  
"No, of course not. Just saving the world," I answered. Kitsune nodded, grinning.  
  
"Oh, good! Thatz nice..." She slumped to the floor, out cold. My sister and I sweat dropped heavily. It takes a lot of alcohol to knock out Kitsune.  
  
"Long day?" Asked Haruka, batting an eyebrow as Naru drunkenly tried to grope her. I breathed a small sigh of relief that she didn't even know I was there. Sleeping in the woods didn't really appeal to me at the moment.  
  
"Something like that. You?" I inquired.  
  
"Mmmm, Mizz Urasheema, your so pretty, I wanna eat you right up," slurred Narusegawa. I couldn't help but smile as Naru tried to kiss my aunt. Haruka pulled away tolerantly as my "study buddy" slumped in her lap.  
  
"It's been... Interesting," Haruka allowed, taking a drag off her cigarette. Mutsumi happily got up, smiling with a red face and a tipsy Tama- chan hanging off her shoulder.  
  
"Hi, Kei-kun! (hic) You missed all the fun! Anything fun happen with you today..." She trailed off as she fainted again. I managed to catch her, and pulled her to the couch, laying her gently upon her back with a sigh of relief.  
  
"I think I'll just turn in. It's been a long night," I said, turning to head for the stairs. I turned and looked back at Kanako.  
  
"What about you, Kanako-chan?" She smiled evilly, holding up a camera.  
  
"And miss black mail this good?" I rolled my eyes with a grin as I trundled up the stairs to my room and bed.  
  
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Well, to my knowledge, no one's done a Love Hina/Animorphs crossover fic before. More info on the OCs, the war itself, and stuff in the coming chapters. But please, reveiw, or I won't feel motivated to continue this or any other story.  
  
(A/N: Sorry if there's rampant OOCness in Kanako here. I don't have a lot of experience writing for her.) 


	2. Randomness Interlude Numero Uno

RANDOM INTERLUDE!  
  
WARNING: The following chapter is simply a randomness outburst from the author. If you wish to avoid any bizarre humor, pointless dialogue, or general insanity, please refrain from reading the following passage.  
  
However, there is an added bonus of some Kanako/Motoko-ness here. Enjoy.  
  
  
  
Naru: Good God, Talon, you're stranger than Mutsumi.  
  
Talon: ^_^ Thank you!  
  
Tact: (fiddling with a Rubicks cube) You know, I'm wondering... Am I just an excuse for you to put yourself into this story?  
  
Talon: Of course not. I'm not THAT arrogant. However, I will admit, I used some of my personality aspects in your creation.  
  
Tact: So I AM just an SI with a different name...  
  
Talon: I didn't say that! I also added in a deliriously bad sense of humor, a confrontational nature, and a total lack of respect for elders.  
  
Tact: ... You have those already.  
  
Talon: (indignantly) I do not!  
  
Tact: Do too!  
  
Talon: Do not!  
  
Tact: Do too!  
  
Talon: Do not!  
  
Tact: Do too!  
  
Kanako: (morphs to Komodo dragon) [Ahem?]  
  
Tact and Talon: (shut up)  
  
Kanako: (demorphs) Good. Let's just agree that Tact merely has some personality characteristics similar to Talon's, alright? Now, Talon, I must ask: Why do you have me as an Animorph? I have my martial arts techniques, after all...  
  
Keitaro: Not to mention that evil green glowing aura thingy of evil.  
  
Kanako: (begins the evil green glowing aura thingy of evil with a smirk) Like this?  
  
Talon: Yes. However, if you just fought as yourself against the Yeerks, you wouldn't have been able to have a normal life and, by extension, none of the other Animorphs would have, either. You'd have become fugitives on the run. Besides, don't you like your poisonous snake morphs?  
  
Kanako: (stops glowing, keeps the smirk) Indeed, I do.  
  
Naru: Can I become an Animorph?  
  
Talon: To do what, praytell?  
  
Naru: (evil smile) Well, I've always had a thing for grizzly bears.  
  
Everyone Else: ...  
  
Motoko: Urashima, you hid the blue cube well, correct?  
  
Naru: HEY!  
  
Keitaro: (gulp) Yeah, I did. No one (except for me) will find it.  
  
Naru: (deathglare)  
  
David: Why do I have such a small part in this chapter?  
  
Sayoko: And me too?  
  
Talon: Be patient, please! Rome was hardly built in a day, and neither were your characters.  
  
Sayoko: ... Yeah we were.  
  
David: All it took was an hour, even!  
  
Talon: (sigh) Look, I promise, you'll all have your own chapter-narration thingies.  
  
David: Good. Sayoko, wanna go to "Chicago" with me?  
  
Sayoko: ^_^ Certainly. (they leave)  
  
Naru: I thought David was going to get with Suu?  
  
Talon: (BONKS Naru over the head with a mallet) SHUT UP! THEY DON'T KNOW THAT YET! Erm... I would like to use my fifth amendment right, thank you. That is all.  
  
Naru: THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER!  
  
Talon: (smirk) In this country, it is. Nyah!  
  
Kuro: You called, nya?  
  
Talon: No, not yet.  
  
Kuro: Bummer, nya. Keitaro's tabby cat morph is a stud-muffin, nya. (leaves)  
  
Keitaro: ... I so did not need to hear that.  
  
Shinobu: (weepy) Is sempai going to die?  
  
Talon: (blink) What makes you say that?  
  
Shinobu: In the Animorphs section, Jake almost ALWAYS gets killed! And Jake is the leader, and so, if Sempai is the leader...  
  
Everyone: (looks at Talon in suspicion)  
  
Talon: People, Keitaro's my favorite character out of you all. I'm NOT going to kill him off. Don't worry.  
  
Keitaro: (breathes a sigh of relief) Good.  
  
Talon: (smirk) Of course, though, I could always let you die and have the Ellimist-  
  
Shinobu and Kanako: (suddenly become very frightening) DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!!!  
  
Talon: Meep! Alright, alright! Take a freaking chill pill...  
  
Motoko: Indeed. Now, Urashima, I believe we have some "business" to attend to.  
  
Kanako: (grins) Whatever you say, bitch.  
  
Motoko: STOP CALLING ME THAT!  
  
Motoko and Kanako run off to the upper-floor rooms. Everyone tries to ignore the interesting sounds that start coming from up there in the next few minutes.  
  
Tact: (starts to drool) Wooowwwww...  
  
Well, almost everyone.  
  
Talon: (stifling a nose bleed) Ahab! Now you nobe ee's not me!  
  
Naru: (blink) Er.... Yeah. I'm guessing, Talon, that you don't intend to put me with Keitaro, right?  
  
Talon: Sorry, you have to work out your insecurities in another way.  
  
Naru: (growl) Watch it.  
  
Talon: And why, praytell? I may be a much nicer author than most, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to punish you when I think you deserve it.  
  
Naru: (smirk) Take your best-  
  
CRACK! Naru is struck by lightening and fried to a crisp. Spiral-eyed, she collapses, dressed in a ballerina outfit and a blueberry eel around her neck.  
  
Talon: (smirk) Heh. Don't mess with an author, even a nice one.  
  
Tact: (shakes out of his reverie, checks Naru) Is she...  
  
Talon: No, she's not dead.  
  
Tact: I was going to ask if she was available. Rowr!  
  
Talon: (rolls his eyes) Good grief...  
  
Kitsune: (smirk) Now I see the difference between you two.  
  
Talon: Where'd you come from?  
  
Kitsune: Where'd YOU come from?  
  
Suu: ^_^ Where do babies come from?  
  
Everyone else: ....  
  
************  
  
Don't worry, I won't write a randomness chapter every-other serious chapter... Unless you guys want me to. See ya! And as always, R&R! 


	3. The Camera

***Love Hina: Adventures in Morphing!***

Andrew Joshua Talon

DISCLAIMER: Myu! Myuuh!

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**Episode 2: Later That Night: Kanako's Blackmail! Fluff**

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            My name is Kanako Urashima. And man, was this the _best_ opportunity for black mail photos ever since I'd come to the Hinata Sou. I had been snapping pictures since we got in (courtesy of a small camera in my pocket that I was able to morph), and had caught the _coup de grace_: Naru trying to kiss Haruka. Ah, vengeance is bliss.

            I had been at the Hinata for about a month now, trying (and failing) to get the girls already here to stop hurting my onee-chan so much. I mean, that _bitch_ Narusegawa has the gall to knock him out the window just because he tripped into her. Unstable, un-disciplined-she's a little spoiled brat if I've ever seen one.

            It's even worse that my brother's infatuated with her. I'll never understand just _what_ onee-chan sees in her. Sure, she helped him study for Toudai, and she could be nice sometimes, but that just didn't make up for the reverse domestic abuse she dished out to him day after day.

            "Heh heh heh, that's right Motoko-chan, just keeping dancing," I cackled wickedly, snapping photos of a _very_ drunk samurai girl performing something along the lines of a jig. 

            Aoyama also burned me up. If Narusegawa wasn't knocking my brother through the walls, this nutcase was picking up the slack. She took her damned sword everywhere, actually into the baths. My brother is no pervert; he's just, as Tact might say, "A walking disaster area". After what my brother had done for the Animorphs, for Earth, leading us fearlessly against the Yeerks for four _years_, they should be kissing his feet.

            I have to admit, I've been tempted to morph Komodo dragon or my preferred battle morph, Gaboon viper, after some of the things they've done to him. Yes, I have formidable martial arts ability, certainly enough to deal with the likes of Aoyama and Narusegawa as a human. But, coupled with the raw power and speed of my animal morphs, I'm unstoppable. 

            I could imagine the look of horror on Narusegawa's face she would get when I showed up, a ten-foot long dragon, strong as one of the Big Cats and nearly as fast. Or, even better, watch the terror in her eyes as I reared up in Gaboon viper morph, the most venomous snake on Earth. I'd bear my 2-inch long fangs and hiss, before...

            But, each time I was tempted, Onee-chan always gave me that commanding look of his, and I backed down. His willingness to take this unjust punishment simply confounds me.

            Hey girlfriend, having fun? Laughed a familiar thought-speak voice. I turned and smiled toward the window, searching for the barn owl that Tact most likely was.

            Erm, behind you, he said. I turned, stooped down, and picked up little Tama-chan into my arms.

            "Myu!" Only it wasn't Tama-chan. The real Tama-chan had wandered off elsewhere into the house. This was simply Tact in morph.

            Like my new form? I thought the soft, cute, Poke'mon reject look would work for me, Tact said, looking up at me with Tama-chan's ever-smiling face. I glanced to the party again; Shinobu was retreating up the stairs, sighing loudly.

            "Maybe. Still, why are you here?" I muttered, setting Tact on a small table away from the remnants of the party. Naru was _still_ trying to seduce Haruka, now giving my nearly emotionless aunt a lap dance. I snapped a quick picture before turning back to Tact.

            _What?_ A guy can't visit his best friend? Well, my mom isn't home, so I thought I'd just waste some time with you guys, Tact answered, his small black eyes searching the room.

            Oi, talk about your disaster areas. No wonder Keitaro wouldn't invite me over for tea. I smiled slightly.

            "Well, if you knew what my onee-chan suffers through every _day_ here, I doubt you'd want to come." Tact gave me as reproachful a look as a turtle can.

            Hey, I know. I've seen the poor guy fly over my house-As a _human_, no less. I just can't imagine why Fearless Leader, who's faced off against Vissers One through Ten (though we missed Four and Three), who's never let us down, lets himself get used as a punching bag. Geez, he's got a _lion_ morph, for crying out loud. The king of the jungle and all that. 

            "He's not the kind of guy to exploit his powers, remember? Even for his own good..."

            Yeah. Still, you have to wonder if he's peeked inside the hot springs as this lovely little creature here. I smirked.

            "If that was so, he'd never get put into orbit."

            Point taken. I sighed, slumping down in a chair. I really was tired, more than I had thought. Tact curled up in my lap, and I stroked his green shell lazily. Even Suu and Sarah were winding down into the cushions of the couch nearby.

            "I'm going to go to bed. See you in the morning?" I asked. Tact gave me a turtle smile.

            Of course you will. You know me, Mister Insomniac. With that (plus a "myu") Tact took off and flew into the night. I surveyed the scene once more: Narusegawa had collapsed at last, and Haruka (with an odd sort of smile) walked up to her own apartment after putting out her cigarette. Everyone else had passed out on the floor.

I yawned, and then reluctantly pulled myself up from my chair to the dormitories, holding my camera tightly in hand. I'd get the photos developed tomorrow…

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Sorry if Kanako's super OOC in this chapter; I've never written for her like this. Anyway, you could give me suggestions on how to improve her portrayal in the next chapters in your reviews!

Tact Meyers; I took your suggestion for Kanako's battle morph. More on it will be in chapter four, I think.


	4. The Encounter

***Love Hina: Adventures in Morphing!***

Andrew Joshua Talon

DISCLAIMER: Myu! Myuuh!

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**Episode 3: Fire in the Night: Tact's What? Angst Action**

**************************

            My name is Tact Carter. And as I merrily flew away from the Hinata Sou in turtle morph, I was given to random thoughts.

            _I wonder why people thought the moon was made of cheese? It doesn't look very cheesy to me. Then again, maybe people thought that some other theory about the moon was cheesy, so that the moon _became _cheesy by default_.

            Yes, I actually think about things like that. It's generally when I'm so unbearably bored I can't do anything else.

            The move to Japan when I was in middle school had been the biggest event in my life before I became an Animorph. How Kanako came up with that, Animorph, I'll never know. I'm good at cheesy puns and lame humor, but clever contractions just aren't my thing. 

            Anyway, with all this fighting finally over, I had no clue how I was supposed to get back to a "normal" life. I'd finished high school, in Japan no less, but after the war with the Yeerks and stuff college and anything after that just didn't ring with me. I honestly had no clue how to reintegrate myself back into human society.

            It's just like those soldiers who returned from the Second World War and Vietnam, or recently released prisoners from a long jail sentence. A near-total lack of rigid order and discipline, of purpose and specific meaning, not to mention the horrors they witnessed, haunted a lot of those guys for almost the rest of their lives. I zoomed through the trees, letting the turtle mind take autopilot while I was lost in thought.

            Just _what_ was I supposed to do, anyway? Fight crime like Spiderman, become a super villain, be an outsider? Stop morphing altogether; do stupid animal tricks for TV? I envied Keitaro, my Fearless Leader, for his focused goal. Get into Toudai and keep a promise he made to a girl fifteen years ago. Sure, it was silly, ludicrous even, and made worse by the fact that the promised girl was seemingly this psycho bitch Naru Narusegawa.

            But, it was a purpose. It was clearly, terribly defined. It kept Keitaro sane. I couldn't even ask Kanako for help, because she too has a purpose to keep her sane.

            Kanako had confided in me that she was in love with her adopted brother. I had understood... Sort of. Actually, I had become close friends with Kanako because I had had a crush on her when we first met. I hadn't had time to be jealous, of course. I had to fight in a war. 

            Kanako said that she loved her brother, and that she would go with him to Toudai to win him to her. After the war, of course. When she'd told me, we weren't even sure if we were going to survive in the next few days. That's war for you. 

            War makes everything so simple, in a few ways. Yes, there are moral issues and ethical crap to muck things up, but at least you have a job. At least you know what you're supposed to do. But me, what the hell was I supposed to do? I had no sweetheart, no job, no life-time ambition or promise to fulfill. Hell, my mother didn't really care what I did. She loved me, of course, but she had a very off-handish approach when it came to parenting. She didn't force me into anything. 

            I had nothing to do with my life.

            I had made it to my house. I landed on the windowsill, pushed the window open a crack with my blunt nose, and slipped through. I plopped onto the floor, and quickly demorphed. I was almost completely human, and still brooding; when a sound knocked me out of my reverie. I froze.

            So, what do we do? Thoughtspeak? I focused my mind on my tiger, and began to change. All the while, I listened.

            It's simple, lunkhead. The boss wants the bitch wasted. I blinked, my eyes becoming six times better in the dark room. _Bitch? Wasted?_

            Well, we did that. Anything else? 

            Nothing more for you. Head on out, I'll finish the job. 

            Okay. 

            I was fully tiger now. I silently crept out of my room and headed down the stairs. I smelled something that sent a shiver down my spine; human flesh, blood. The stench of decay radiated through the house. I could smell human, female fear. It smelled old, but it was still there.

            MOM! I leapt and landed hard on the floor eleven steps below, but this was nothing to me. I dashed through the house, past the living room, and into the kitchen. 

            I stared, disbelieving. _Oh God, please, no..._

            My mother lay across the floor, a puddle of her own blood surrounding her. I leapt to her side, and listened.

            No pulse. No breathing. Nothing. I still stared, refusing to accept it.

            _This can't be happening, this isn't real_, I thought, backing away. I backed into a warm, solid body. I spun around, slashing and biting and snarling.

            Who the hell are you?! There was "nothing" there, except a feeling and smell. This nothing dodged my attack and grabbed me by the paws. It then flung me over it's head, sending me out through the thin wooden wall and into the small garden outside.

            CRASH! I leaped up to all fours in a second, and jumped back through the hole in the wall in another second. The "nothing" bolted, leaving a small, red glowing device on the floor. A Dracon bomb.

            Oh fuck, I said, turning and leaping just as the thing went off.

            KABOOOOOMMM! The shockwave sent me flying into the bushes, unhurt thanks to my cat reflexes. I dared to look up.

            My whole freaking house was a tattered, flaming mess. The whole front of it had vaporized, and flames so intense they overheated me, even when I was thirty or forty feet away. The fires were consuming the rest of it. I stared, in disbelief. My mom, my house... Our memories...

            All gone. I couldn't smell a single damned thing of my mom anywhere.

            Good fucking God, I murmured, staring. I heard sirens and klaxons. Fire trucks and police cruisers. I didn't notice them, I just stared. 

            _My God, my God, my God, my God_, I kept thinking, over and over. I turned and headed away, the firemen and paramedics teams surrounding the flaming frame of my house.

            What _was_ my house.

            _My God, my God, my God, my God..._

            I sniffed, and caught a scent; the same scent as at the house. A car was driving away, up the road, toward the mountains surrounding the town.

            I abandoned myself to the tiger as he roared in fury. I let go of everything except my hate, my anger, my _rage_. The tiger's mind filled my own, and in an instant I feared _nothing_.

            I took off at top speed, chasing the car into the night. Away from the furious blaze.

            Away from my home, carrying only my vengeance with another roar in the darkness.

************

Well, what do you think so far? I thought I'd stick with the single-character-narrating-per-chapter deal as in the _real_ Animorphs book series. Any thoughts? Rants? Comments?

Tell them to me, please.


	5. Randomness Interlude THE SEQUEL

RANDOM INTERLUDE!  
  
WARNING: The following is yet another attempt by the author to buy time for him to write up more chapters to this rather interesting story. As a rule, anything and everything may happen in the spots between thoughts, so don't expect too much in the way of substance.  
  
Then again, given Love Hina... O_O*  
  
  
  
It was a rather uninspired spot of Hinata Sou's town that we found ourselves in.  
A quiet little field within a park, where there were a large number of footprints left over from the hundreds of fairs, festivals and cult gatherings in past years.  
  
  
My name is Keitaro.  
  
  
Sayoko: _ Which, I might add, they already knew.  
  
Keitaro: Hum? Oh, wait, yeah... _ Doh!  
  
Tact: ^_^ Getting slightly senile in our old age, eh Fearless leader?  
  
Keitaro: -_-* (sigh) Out of all my friends, even you have to turn on me?  
  
Tact: O_O Turn?! Dude, I'm your best friend. I'm not turning on you, it's just gentle teasing. I didn't call you a baka or a hentai or-  
  
Keitaro: _ FINE! FINE! I get the point! Sheesh...  
  
David: -_- What I want to know is, why are we here?  
  
Tact: ^_^ Why else, my socially inept brother? To pick up chicks, of course!  
  
Sayoko: \_/ Ahem?  
  
Tact: ^_^* And cute guys for the lovely Miss Sayoko!  
  
Sayoko: ^_^ Thankyou. o_o Um, why are we talking with these Emoticons?  
  
David, Keitaro and Tact: ....  
  
Kanako: (evil grin) Because I got my hands on Talon's author powers! Meaning, I can make you all do anything I want! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  
  
The Other Animorphs: ....  
  
Talon: (somewhere else, sighs) I knew I should have changed the password...  
  
Kanako: (holding a laptop thoughtfully) Hm, now... What should I do first? Wait... I know!  
  
Kanako types out a few things, and a moment later Naru appears. She's dressed in her usual, looking rather confused.  
  
Naru: Huh? What the...  
  
Kanako: (cackle) Arise, my title! Arise!  
  
  
*********  
  
WHY KANAKO-CHAN SHOULDN'T GET AUTHOR POWERS  
  
By Kanako Urashima  
  
DISCLAIMER: Accuse me of nothing, or I will eat your soul.  
  
*********  
  
Keitaro: ^_^* Oh shit, we're screwed...  
  
Tact: Oh man, when Fearless Leader goes doom...  
  
Naru: (blink) Wha-What? Why are you calling that baka "Fearless Leader"?  
  
Kanako: (typing) "Once upon a time, there was a cold-hearted, sadistic, insecure woman known as Naru Narusegawa."  
  
Naru: (angry) WHAT?!  
  
Tact: ^_^ Uh oh...  
  
David: Double uh-oh...  
  
Kanako: "She was a total bitch to everyone she met in a misguided attempt to destroy all perverts."  
  
Naru: KANAKO! YOU LITTLE-  
  
Kanako: "Plus, she used my onii-chan's feelings for her to boost her self esteem, and as a leash. This was unjust to him, being used by such a selfish little bitch. She punched my brother into low orbit every hour, just to keep control of him."  
  
Tact: Well, that's true...  
  
Naru: BASTARD! SUPER NARU PUNCH!  
  
  
POW! Tact goes flying.  
  
  
Tact: AAAAAAHHHHH!!!  
  
Keitaro: (wince) Oh man...  
  
Kanako: (evil smile) "However, Naru had made a grave error with this punch. For, instead of knocking Tact into orbit, she sent him through an inter-dimensional portal!"  
  
  
Tact vanishes into said Inter-dimesnional portal. A few minutes pass, before...  
  
  
Tact: (is popped out into the Real World again, lands nimbly in front of Naru with a smirk)  
Greetings, Narusegawa. I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine I "acquired".  
  
  
Tact promptly glows brightly and morphs. He emerges from the light- Morphed into a War Greymon.  
  
  
Naru: WHAT THE HELL?!  
  
Kanako: "Tact had been sent to the Digital World, from 'Digimon: Digital Monsters', and had quickly acquired a very powerful morph."  
  
Tact/WarGreymon: [Hm... What attack should I use, I wonder?]  
  
Naru: (running as fast as her legs can carry her) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!  
  
Tact/WarGreymon: (sweatdrop) [Oh, c'mon! At least let me have some fun in this form! Come back!]  
  
  
Tact flies after Naru, who is somehow keeping ahead of him. Kanako looks thoughtful, then teleports herself in front of Tact, holding up her hand.  
  
  
Kanako: No, I want to have some fun with her.  
  
Tact: (pouts) [Awwww, and I just got this morph too.]  
  
Kanako: (smirk) Why don't you go harrass Aoyama?  
  
Tact: [Cool!] (flies off)  
  
Kanako: "Narusegawa soon found herself running in a nudist's marathon."  
  
  
Naru looks down, and now sees that she lacks any clothing. She screams and tries to cover herself.  
  
  
David and Keitaro: (severe nosebleeds that they are desperate to stifle) URRRBBBB!!!  
  
Naru: PERVERTS! (Super Naru Punches them into the sky)  
  
Keitaro and David: WAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!  
  
Kanako: (smirk) "They too, however, were sent careening into the Digital World!"  
  
  
Both guys do just that. Naru quickly peices together a leaf bikini, like in that one episode.  
  
  
Kanako: "And, like Tact, they were both smart enough to grab a powerful Digimon morph on their way back."  
  
  
BOOM! A Metal Garurumon (Keitaro) and a Magna Angemon (David) emerge from the portal and land in front of the now-bikini-ed Naru. They both stare at her, and she stares back fearfully. She begins to edge away.  
  
  
Naru: K-K-Keitaro? P-Please, d-don't kill me...  
  
Keitaro: (blink) [Kill you? Why would I want to do that?]  
  
David: [Yeah, I mean, sheesh! He's stupidly infatuated with you, even though you ARE a total bitch.]  
  
Tact: (suddenly flies in) [Yeah Keitaro! Why are you infatuated with a girl who beats you worse than the Nazis did the French?]  
  
Keitaro: [Um...]  
  
  
David and Tact exchange looks, and then sigh heavily.  
  
  
Tact: [That promised girl thing, Fearless Leader?]  
  
Keitaro: [NO! It's more of, um...]  
  
Kanako: "Onii-chan finally came to grips with the fact that his feelings toward Narusegawa were merely a mix of friendship, gratitude for her tuteluge, and (my personal favorite) lust."  
  
Keitaro: [WHAT?! Kanako-chan, you are SO...]  
  
Kanako: (smirk) Right?  
  
Keitaro: [Yeah...] (sigh)  
  
Tact: [At last, the truth comes out, eh?]  
  
Naru: (growl) YOU... LITTLE... BASTARDS! TRI-SUPER NARU PUNCH!  
  
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!  
  
Naru: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! HOLY FUCKING ASS! OOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!  
  
  
Naru screams more obscenties, trying to hold both of her fists while trying not to cry from the pain. Punching armour made of pure chrome digi-zoid is seldom a smart thing to do, after all.  
  
  
Everyone else: (MAJOR sweatdrop)  
  
  
Sayoko, at this point, appears, having morphed into a towering Imperialdramon.  
  
  
David: [Where have YOU been?]  
  
Sayoko: (sigh) [I had to freaking babysit. My mom drove into the field just after I got this morph and dragged me off to some whiny brat's home. What's up?]  
  
Tact: [Startling revelations. It seems that Keitaro's single again.]  
  
Sayoko: (smirk) [I know a few girls who might be interested in Fearless leader. They're all made of cardboard, though.]  
  
Keitaro: [Ha ha, very funny.]  
  
Kanako: (smirk) "Thus, Keitaro finally decided to get laid-Courtesy of his little adopted sister!"  
  
Keitaro: [WHAT?! AAAUUUUUGGGHHHHHH!!!] (flies off as fast as he can freaking go)  
  
Kanako: (morphs to Sakuyamon, and takes off after him) [Come back here, lover boy!]  
  
The Other Animorphs: (sweatdrop)  
  
Tact: [Man, that was...]  
  
Sayoko: [Disturbing.]  
  
David: [Precisely. Hm... I think I'll take over the story!]  
  
  
David grabs the laptop and begins typing rapidly.   
  
  
David: ["Kaolla Suu promptly came to see all the commotion, and when she caught sight of her love David..."]  
  
  
Suu appears, in adult form, and grins deviously at David. David, in turn, de-morphs and takes the blonde princess into his arms. They commence making out.  
  
  
Naru: (snarl) DAVID! YOU F***ING PERVERT!  
  
Sayoko: [You're censoring it Now?]  
  
David: (cheesy grin) Erm...  
  
Tact: (grabs the keyboard) ["Thus, David, the smooth talking rogue bad boy of the Japanese Animorphs (and brother to moi) took Suu away to a remote, secluded romantic spot."]  
  
  
David and Suu vanish. Naru wheels on Tact and raises a fist (now protected by a metal glove of some sort... For some reason).  
  
  
Naru: You little dirtbag! I'll-  
  
Tact: (creates a small orb of orange fire-) [TERRA FORCE!] (-and throws it at Naru)  
  
  
Naru's thin... revealing... sticky-AHEM! Leaf bikini is vaporized. She blinks.  
  
  
Naru: AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! (tries to cover up)  
  
Tact: (typing) ["Of course, Naru then saw that Tact was available, and decided to go out on a date with the dashing, debonaire-"]  
  
Sayoko: (rolls her eyes) [And modest.]  
  
Tact: [That too. "young Animorph."]  
  
Naru: NOOOOO!!! MUST RESIST!  
  
Tact: (demorphs, then pulls out a set of attractive clothes from hammerspace) I'll give you these clothes if you go on a date with me?  
  
Naru: (groan) Fine.   
  
Naru pulls on the clothes, and walks away dejectedly with an estatic Tact. Sayoko grins evilly.  
  
Sayoko: (types... Somehow. Don't ask me how) ["And so, this left Sayoko, the quiet support element of the Animorphs, to have fun in this most awesome of all morphs! WOO HOO! I'm off to raze Osaka!]  
  
  
And off she went, cackling something along the lines of "DIE OSAKA HIGH SCHOOL! REFUGE OF SATAN!". Keitaro appears, out of morph, looking around cautiously.  
  
  
Keitaro: Man, this has been one F***ed up chapter.  
  
Talon: (appears... Somehow) Tell me about it. (sigh) Well Keitaro, my friend, have a good double date! ^_^  
  
Keitaro: Double...?  
  
Mutsumi: (appears with a smile) Kei-kun, Talon-kun gave me a pair of tickets to "Super Mutant Crazy Wackos IV!" I have no idea what it is (exactly), but would you like to accompany me?  
  
Shinobu: (appears with a gasp) But, but... Talon-sempai gave ME a pair of tickets to go with Keitaro-sempai!  
  
Talon: (smirk) Actually, how about this: Keitaro, why don't you take both girls?  
  
Keitaro: WHAT?! You-  
  
Mutsumi: (blush) That would be nice, Kei-kun. Shinobu-chan, would you object?  
  
Shinobu: (SUPER blush) Well... If it's alright with Keitaro-sempai...  
  
Keitaro: But-But-But-!  
  
Talon: No buts! You're going on a "FRIENDLY" (makes little quotation marks with his fingers)  
date with these two, and you're going to show them a good time!   
  
  
Lightening flashes, the wind howls, the sky darkens and lots of cute fuzzy animals run like heck as Talon gives Keitaro a terrifying deathglare.  
  
  
Talon: Is... That... Clear?  
  
Keitaro: (gulp) Yes sir!  
  
Talon: (stops the whole "Wrath of the Author" stuff ^_^) Good! Have fun, you three!  
  
  
And with that, the chapter finally closed.  
  
  
Naru: AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! TACT, WHAT IS THAT?!  
  
Tact: It's a bouquet of flowers. I thought you might like them! ^_^  
  
Naru: I'M... Allergic... (passes out)  
  
Tact: (MAJOR sweatdrop) Oops....  
  
************** 


	6. The Vengeance

***Love Hina: Adventures in Morphing!***

Andrew Joshua Talon

DISCLAIMER: Myu! Myuuh!

**************************

**Episode 4: Vengeance in the Night: Big Brothers: Chase**

**************************

            My name is David Weiss. I'm an American-Japanese kid, nineteen years old. I'd decided not to go to college after I graduated from high school, not really having any real interest in it.

            My peer counselors thought I was falling into the cool-dude loner macho role, but what do they know? Sure, I'll admit, I have that whole dark anti-hero motif, complete with all-black clothing, but it's just an appearance.

            I'd been fighting for my life for my entire high school career, trying to slow down the Yeerks along with my fellow Animorphs. Before that, I'd almost always tried to be alone, not really wanting to socialize with anyone. What was the point? Nothing I did would matter to the world. I was just a white kid in Japan, trying to separate myself from my whole annoying family. 

            My little brother Tact had been the most annoying. Always hero-worshipping me, following me around, trying to impress me and be my friend. I couldn't see why he respected me so; I was a loner, a loser, and riff-raff.

            Then, came the war. I had initially tried to fight the Yeerks on my own, not really trusting Urashima's leadership abilities when we became Animorphs. I went solo for my first mission, morphed to cobra, slipping into a Yeerk command center and trying to quickly and efficiently assassinate the higher-ranking slugs.

            I'm really into the stealthy morphs. Not so much poisonous morphs mind you-that's Kanako's domain. She and I have this odd little ritual, I guess; if there's going to be a battle, we play rock-paper-scissors. The "winner" morphs poisonous snake and the "loser" goes for something else. If it's not my "turn", I like to go Black Panther. Silent, deadly - I like the whole cloak-and-dagger method of battle. The sniper's way.

            But, I was caught. The Yeerks, of course, thought I was an Andalite terrorist, and were going to hold me until I either de-morphed or trapped myself over the two-hour time limit. If Keitaro and the others hadn't launched a reckless but successful rescue, I'd still be a snake.

            So, I worked with them from then on. I still liked my sniper's methodology in battle, but combined with the talents of the others, we kicked ass. An actual team, only instead of some stupid, idiotic jock club we were actually doing something important.

            Thus, like any good team player, I set out for Hinata the instant the news announced my brother's house had gone up in flames.

            I had just made it into my father's apartment, sneaking in through my window and demorphing that night. I casually walked downstairs, to where I knew my father would be, sleeping on the couch after a long day's work. I'm usually responsible for a lot of the chores around our little "pad", while my dad rakes in the yen.

            David Weiss Senior, my father, is a great guy. Though he's easily tired, he's never hit or yelled at my little brother or me. We, plus my mom, had formed a happy, cohesive family. It wasn't like those impossibly perfect families in the bad 1950's sitcoms, but everyone was comfortable with each other. Well, except for me, but I dealt with that by being the loner as I said before.

            The divorce was a big shock to Tact and myself. Our parents had never fought before, it seemed. When we asked, they both said the company line: "It's too complicated for you guys".

            Bullshit.

            Anyway, a new big shock came up that night as I made it to the living room. My dad wasn't asleep; he wasn't even there. The TV had been left on, showing the news channel. A hastily jotted note was on the couch. I picked it up and read through it.

            **_David,_**

**_                        I've gone to check on your mother and brother. Don't wait up for me._**

****

**_            Dad_******

            "And here is a view of the blazing inferno now, caught by our eye in the sky over the Hinata area," said the glossed-up reporter, "Ken, what can you see?"

            "_Well, the blaze started at the house you can see in the center of the picture. We've identified it as the home of one Samantha Carter, a person who recently settled in the Hinata area only four years ago. Police report that her house just "exploded", according to eyewitnesses, so arson is suspected at the moment. The fire has spread to several neighboring houses and-_" I shut off the TV, before rushing for the stairs. 

            I began morphing the second I started running. My skin erupted into black, sleek feathers, my nose and mouth fused into a hard beak and became black, my arms became wings, my feet small black talons.

            I was an African Swallow/Swift, the fastest level-flying bird on Earth, by the time I reached a window. I flew out, hitting my top speed of about 160 mph in a matter of seconds.

            My great horned owl morph was better for night flight because it could actually see well in the dark. But, right now I needed speed and range, and the African swift is nearly the best in both categories.

            I reached Hinata in about fifteen minutes, zooming toward the great burning light toward the inner edge of the city. I swooped in low, cutting my speed and landing in a patch of bushes near the fire trucks. I demorphed, and ran towards the fire chief, angrily sending reporters away.

            "Sir! Have you found any bodies?" I yelled.

            "Why?" Asked the chief, eyeing me suspiciously. What, did he think I was the arsonist? What stupid moron of an arsonist would come back to the scene of the crime?

            "I'm the son of Sarah Carter, David Weiss!" The chief shook his head before yelling some more instructions to a couple of firemen. He turned back to me with a sigh.

            "We haven't been able to get close enough yet! Just wait here, I'll tell you when we find something!" He then ran to shout at some firemen who weren't moving fast enough. I swore under my breath.

            David! David! Over here! I recognized the thought-speak voices. I turned toward the trees surrounding the residential area, toward the mountains.

            I strained my eyes, and could just make out a great-horned owl perched in the branches. Only one other person in our group has that morph.

            "Sayoko? What-"

            Quick, morph. Keitaro and Kanako are trailing Tact, who's in turn trailing the guys we think blew up his house. I blinked.

            "How do they know it was-?"

            Tact's chasing them in tiger morph. Who else could they be? I nodded grimly before heading into the darkened grove. I focused my mind again upon the swift who's DNA swam within my own...

***********

            My name is Keitaro. And it was rather tough at the moment to think about anything to do with the meaning of my identity.

            YEOW! Kanako-chan, watch it!

            I know! I know! My sister and I had both morphed to sooty owl after Tact's house had exploded, and were right now trailing a cloth-covered Jeep with two guys in it carrying Dracon beams. Dracons are essentially ray guns, powerful and devastating. Dodging them anywhere-ground, water, or air-is quite a task.

            TSEW! TSEW! 

            "RRROOOOOAAAAARRRRRR!" The bone-chilling roar of an enraged Siberian tiger punctuated the night. Tact, furious from the murder of his mother by these two guys, was still trailing them in battle morph. I guess tigers have some talents that can only be brought out by a human, in that Tact was still managing to keep up with the Jeep.

            Come and face me, you cowards! He roared in thought speak, only nine meters behind. He was dodging like mad from the guy in the passenger seat, who was trying to simultaneously knock us down and take out Tact. I quickly dodged a blast, plus a tree-branch, before going into a power dive. 

            "CREECH!" I ripped through the cloth top, running into the passenger's face. 

            "Aaaaaaahhhh!" He screamed, smacking me into the driver with his Dracon, cradling his bloodied face. The driver managed to duck, sending me out his window and spinning into a tree.

            Bonk. 

            The Jeep lost its course and crashed into a large stump with a tremendous BANG! The vehicle flipped over, sending the screaming men underneath it's two-tons of weight. 

            Kanako landed next to me, clicking her beak in worry.

            Onee-chan? You alright? 

            Mommy, I don't wanna eat my broccoli... Another bellow from Tact signaled his attack upon the men. I shakily clambered behind the tree and began to de-morph.

            Tact! Stop, don't attack them until we know why they did what they did! The tiger roared again, as the sounds of two men screaming filled the air. I finished becoming myself before launching right into my lion morph. Beside me, also hidden in the shadows, Kanako had emerged human again and was right now morphing to her Gaboon viper form.

            By now, the tiger's roars were being broken up by the howls of a decidedly inhuman nature. I finally was fully lion before I rushed out of my hiding place with a snarl. I froze momentarily.

            Tact was fighting the _air_. Or some kind of invisible force that kept hitting him, sending the tiger sprawling on the ground before he got up and lunged for nothing again. I could smell something my lion mind didn't like; something unhealthy.

            "ROAR!" I bellowed as a large, invisible fist hit me in the side. I rolled back up onto my feet as any proper cat would, and took a deep sniff. I felt air rushing for me.

            Gah! I leapt out of the way, my tail being grazed by something big. I lunged for my invisible foe, striking something much bigger than I was with my full fangs and claws. 

            It didn't seem to do anything, though I felt a liquid coat my claws that felt vaguely like blood. The creature hit me again, sending me crashing into Tact.

            OOF! 

            GAH-OUCH! 

            Well... This is fun. First these bastards murder my mom, then they blow up my house, and now they're beating the tar out of us. Isn't our life fun? I growled in annoyance.

            Tact, on three we split at top speed. Ready? THREE! I leapt and ran in one direction, Tact did the same directly away from me. We both ran into the invisible creatures and ended up precisely as we were a few seconds later.

            OOOWWWW! My lion could smell our enemies, and I could hear and feel them too. They stalked toward us, unhurried. Tact and I were a tangled mess of fur, essentially helpless.

            Great. We'll probably be the inspiration for some kinky yaoi manga, Tact stated grimly. He was still cracking jokes, even after everything that had happened to him in just one night. Had the war dulled us both so much we couldn't feel grief?

            I hope Kanako got away. I'll confess something, Urashima: I love your sister. She's awesome, the greatest person I've ever met. And it'd be really cool if we could go out, but at this rate that's not really looking like an option, Tact continued on, babbling in fear. I took a deep breath, staring at the nothing closing in.

             Tact? 

            Right, Fearless Leader, I know; shut up, you're not helping. 

            That would be my line, said Kanako. I blinked as one of the creatures bellowed in pain. 

            Abruptly, an outline began to form in front of me. Mottled red blotches started appearing out of the air, creating some sort of outline. 

            Kanako! 

**************

            My name is Kanako. And I was squeezing as much juice of death into Tact and Keitaro's invisible assailant as I could. Fortunately for me, snakes see in infrared, so while One-chan and Tact couldn't see the creatures by reflected light, I could see them by their heat signatures.

            As I pumped my venom into the monster, I guess I started causing it to hemorrhage or something like that. Ugly red blotches, irritations of its internal organs, began to emerge.

            Imagine a network of plastic tubes, almost impossible to see as they are, right? It's because the material that they're made of doesn't bounce as much light back into our eyes as other, non-clear matter does. Now, imagine if someone started pumping a bright red liquid through them so that the tubes were all turned red. You'd be able to see them then because the red liquid bounces more light back into our retinas.

            That was basically what it was like, a hamster maze filling up with blood. I kept my two-inch long fangs firmly sunk into that monster's flesh, never holding back.

            Well, now we have a target. Tact! Shouted Keitaro.

            Roger, skipping the self-pity. Erm, Kanako? I would have smirked if I had the facial muscles.

            It's an interesting but little-known fact that snakes are deaf, I stated silkily.

            Knew I could count on you. I would have laughed if I hadn't been busy pumping poison into the beast. It moaned drunkenly as Tact's and One-chan's claws ripped through it, sending it to the ground in a crumpled heap. It had taken a _lot_ of venom to "light up" that monster. And Gaboon viper venom is nothing to sneeze at.

            The creature's partner rushed towards us, bellowing in rage, but with a quick swipe of One-chan's paw, I was flying into the creature like a football. I latched my fangs into our other invisible friend before he could get in striking distance. I pumped the last of my venom into his system before I pulled myself free.

            That's the last of my venom! The two big cats rushed the just-now-visible monster, knocking him to the ground with a surprisingly big THUD. I barely slithered out of the way.

            Geez guys, aim a little more to the right, will you? You _almost _missed, I hissed, both literally and verbally. The lion and tiger looked at me apologetically.

            Sorry, Kanako-chan.

            Sorry. We'll try to squish you next time. Keitaro then rightly cuffed Tact on the head. Tact took the blow without even an indignant exclamation.

            Tact-kun? He slowly turned and walked away, demorphing as he went. One-chan and I watched silently. I began to change back into a human, as did One-chan.

            A swift and a great-horned owl appeared overhead, landing near the downed creatures before de-morphing into Sayoko and David.

            Tact? Tact? Tact had finished becoming human again. He began morphing to barn owl, forming fully in record time. He then flew off silently.

            "Tact? TACT!" Shouted David, starting to morph to swift again. I put my pale hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

            "Let him go," said Keitaro behind us in a commanding voice, "if he needs to be alone, let him." David stared at Chan-chan in disbelief, before reversing his morph with a sigh. Sayako watched Tact fly away, her expression enigmatic.

            "Right," he muttered, watching. I too kept my eyes on the small, tan shape as it receded, sighing quietly under my breath.

***************

Well, what do you think? I plan on centering most of the action at the Hinata Sou in the coming chapters, but I would appreciate input. So, just leave a review!

(And no, Tact and Kanako are NOT getting together. I have other plans for the Animorphs, possibly including romance but a lot of other things too. Though, as this is a Love Hina fan fiction, you can expect humor ^_^.)

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	7. The Fallout

****

'Love Hina: Adventures in Morphing!

Andrew Joshua Talon

DISCLAIMER: Myu! Myuuh!

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'Episode 5: Adjustment: Murder Spree? Sayoko

"""""""""""

My name is Sayoko.

It had been a week since Tact and David's mother was killed. It was also a week since we'd actually seen him. Any of us.

Keitaro seemed to take Tact's disappearance as a sign that he needed, at least for now, to be alone. He was the kind of guy who recognized when someone needed to sort out their feelings, and also the kind of guy to not meddle unless it was needed. It was, obviously, an admirable set of qualities.

David seemed pretty quiet. I mean, quieter than usual. He'd stayed nearby the Hinata Sou, sitting on the steps, seemingly waiting.

And what was I doing? Well, since I graduated from high school, I decided to take up residence in the Hinata. I'd made this decision before _that_ night: I'd been expecting to move to Hinata Springs the day after, and I still did. My mom and sisters had made a big show of affection, crying, and I cried a little too. But I went. I had gotten good at hiding what I really felt.

That, too, came with the territory of an Animorph.

And so, I stood, looking out one of the windows of that anceitn dormitory, watching David sitting on the steps, waiting. I sighed deeply.

"I do not like him," came a cool, soft voice behind me. I blinked, and turned my head slightly. A tall, beautiful young woman, with long black hair and dressed in a martial arts outfit, sat at the kitchen table, scowling out the same window as I was. The blonde woman, Kitsune Konno, looked over at the samurai girl, smirking.

"You don't like any men…"

"He bothers me. His aura is dark," Motoko scowled more deeply, sipping her tea. To Motoko's left, Kanako glared at the samurai.

"You don't even know him," Kanako hissed. Motoko glared back at Keitaro's little sister.

"I know enough."

"What? That he's male, and that he actually _looked_ at you? Hmph, yes, very threatening," Kanako sneered. I gave her a look, to which she glared and turned back to Motoko.

"What's the matter? Tired of just picking on my brother? Is that it?" I gritted my teeth. I'd tried to be understanding, but really…

"Kanako, calm down," I said, looking pointedly at both. "Fighting doesn't help anyone."

"It seems to be all they know how to do," Kitsune murmured. Kanako bristled.

"Shut it, fox!"

"Kanako! Look, stop acting like this. So you're worried about Tact - We all are. Don't let that rule your-"

"Oh, stuff it, Sayoko," Kanako growled, standing up from the table and stalking off. "I want a lecture, I'll go to the university." I sigh deeply, putting a hand to my eyes.

"She really liked this Tact guy, huh?" Kitsune interjected, to which Motoko huffed. I nodded, smiling slightly. I still didn't know anyone here, aside from my fellow Animorphs, very well. But, building a stronger relationship with them was on my to-do list…

"Likes. He's still out there," I replied, smiling confidently. I mean, yes, I _knew…_ his condition out there, no, but still…

"Hm… I wonder why someone would want to blow up his house?" Kitsune mused aloud, swishing the small bowl of sake around in her palm. I shrugged.

"Tact and David's mom was respected as a lawyer… Maybe a crime lord? I don't know…"

"An honorless dog, whoever it was," Motoko spoke up, narrowing her eyes. "Someone who could use a good thrashing."

"No argument from me," I stated, narrowing my eyes. The bear DNA in my blood stream roared, wanting to be let loose, on the murderers. Who _were_ they, anyway? Where'd they get the ability to morph? And moreover, where had they gotten those bizarre, giant invisible morphs?

""""""""""""""""""""

I later found Keitaro standing outside on the deck, hanging his laundry with Shinobu helping. I couldn't help but smile at them both. Shinobu, so eager and helpful, and Keitaro looking down on her with such affection, they could have easily been mistaken for brother and sister.

Brothers_…Damnit, enough of that!_

"Need some help?" I offered, holding up a basket of clothes pins. Keitaro turned back and smiled, reaching out.

"Yes, thank you," Keitaro replied, taking the basket. I followed, pulling out a pair of Keitaro's boxers. He stiffened slightly, and Shinobu blushed, but I didn't care. Laundry was laundry, really.

"Ahem… Shinobu, we can finish up here. Why don't you go and relax before making dinner?" Keitaro asked, giving her a wide smile.

"Um… Are you sure, Urashima-sempai? I mean, I'm willing to stay-"

"Relax, kiddo, I've got it," I said gently, giving the little blunette a comforting smile. "I've been told by Keitaro that you nearly single-handedly keep this place going all by yourself. Take a break!" Shinobu blushed again, looking awkwardly at Keitaro and myself.

"Um… That's… I just… Cook and clean…"

"Relax, Shinobu, you've earned it," Keitaro replied patiently. At his affirmateive nod, Shinobu smiled shyly back, before turning and walking down into the Hinata. Keitaro resumed pinning up clothing, as I helped him out.

"Nice girl… Too bad she's too young for you, eh?" I gently teased, causing Keitaro to blush. Poor guy… Lead us fearlessly for four years of war, and the man _still_ hasn't a clue about women! Actually, it's not that surprising, but still…

"Um, nah, Sayoko… Really! I mean… why would she like me?" I rolled my eyes.

"Good greif, Keitaro…"

"I mean… Okay, I'm nice, and, I guess… Not hideous-"

"Keitaro, get over this! Really!" I barked sharply, causing Keitaro to jump slightly, looking at me in shock. I don't know why, but the words pop out of my mouth of their own accord.

"You're sweet, charming, determined, cute, handsome, and brave. You're also selfless and compassionate, not to mention smart. So listen to me, pal, and listen good," I growled, pouding the center of Keitaro's chest with a finger.

"You. Will. _Not._ Debase. Yourself. In. My. Presence. _Again,_" I state, punctuating each word with a poke. Keitaro keeps looking at me, surprised, before smiling slightly.

"I though _I_ was the leader," he mused, his smile growing again. I'm suddenly aware of how close we are, but shunt that aside.

"Even leaders can be idiots," I retort, smiling. "And you need to be reminded of that."

"How much of an idiot I am? Or how attractive I am to the opposite sex?" Keitaro asks, looking cheeky. I narrow my eyes.

"Both."

"Ah… Thanks." Damnit… I'm getting the distinct impression I'm flirting with him. And he's flirting back. Oh God… I push back, taking a deep breath, and looking Keitaro straight in the eyes.

"All right. No." He blinks.

"No? No what?"

"You know… No. No more."

"No more what?" I sigh, feeling slightly stupid, but I press on anyway.

"Look, Keitaro-This won't work."

"Um… Sayoko, you've lost me. Can you tell me what we're supposed to be talking about?" I blink, before blushing, and turning away. Damnit! I jumped to conclusions, oh great…

"It's, er… Nothing. I'm fine." _Why is my heart beating so fast?_

"Sure?"

"Um, yeah… Just, you know… Tact." Keitaro sighs deeply behind me, and I swear I can hear his forehead wrinkle.

"He'll be back."

"I know…"

"Just keep telling yourself that… It's what I have to do," he sighs. With a twin sigh, I turn back and start helping him finish the laundry.

"""""""""""""""""""

****

David

__

Where the hell is my pizza?

I look at my watch, and growl. Stupid bastard delivery boy… How hard is it to get to a big, honking ancient dormitory on top of a freaking hill? _Really?_ I've found my way to this place based on a picture on a postcard!

"Finally," I mutter, as a delivery bike putters up to the curb. I walk out to meet the guy, some tall, cocky-looking footballer from my old algebra class. He looks at me with a smirk.

"You paying for this? Or are you going to trade me your…" He looks me up and down nastily, "shoes."

"Just give me the pizza, moron, so we can both get on with our lives," I sigh, pulling it away from the jerk and stalking off.

"HEY!"

"What?"

"Where's my pay?" I don't even turn back on him, just to piss him off.

"You're thirty minutes late. You don't get anything." I hear him get off his bike, stalk up to me, and spin me around to face him.

"I don't think I heard that," he growls, narrowing his eyes. He stands level with me, a compact, muscular jock. I recall that his specialty off the field is to shove smaller kids into lockers for fun.

"Need your ears examined, soccer boy?" I ask mockingly. His eyes flash.

"_What _did you call me, _gaijin?"_ He spits, baring his teeth. He shoves me backwards, knocking me back a meter, but I stand. He advances, raising his fist. I call upon the king cobra DNA living in my blood stream, as I take a step back. My teeth elongate, my eyes turn yellow, my face turns scaly and my body starts to shrink. I bare my fangs, grinning as the jock's eyes grow wide.

"_AAAAAAHHHHHH! YOUKAI!"_ He shrieks, running back to his bike. He actually trips over it once, in a panic, before calmbering back on and speeding down the road, still screaming. As my jaw's become somewhat loose, my grin is wider than usual as I cackle.

"Ashhole," I lisp, as I start demorphing. When I'm fully human again I turn and start walking up the steps, taking a deep sniff of my pizza. I make a face.

"_Ugh!_ Bastards… I told them squid, _not_ fish!" I growl, stalking up the steps. Still, I'm hungry. And fish is actually one of my favorite foods. I guess I was just looking for someone to take out some anger on. Perfect… More crap for the shrinks to work out.

I make it to the top of the steps when I happen to look up. In front of me stands a beautiful, black-haired woman in a martial arts outfit. And she doesn't look happy. Her wooden sword - Forget what it's called - is leveled at me. Now usually, I wouldn't take a person waving a stick around very seriously, considering what I can do.

However, Keitaro's told me what this girl - this _woman_, Motoko Aoyama - can do with said stick. So I just take a deep breath, and try out a disarming smile.

"Hey."

"Why are you walking towards the Hinata Sou?" She asks, in a deep yet feminine voice. It's actually rather pleasant. More accurately, it _would_ be pleasant, provided that she didn't have a generous helping of anger and suspicion behind it. I raise up the pizza.

"I was thinking of sharing my pizza. With Keitaro. And his friends." She still glares at me. I sigh, before taking a step further. She takes a step towards me.

"I have not given you permission to pass," she says coldly. I blink, and roll my eyes.

"Lady, look: I don't know what your problem is, but last I checked, Keitaro owns this place. Not you."

"He needs to be kept in line," she responds, still glaring. I raise an eyebrow, and step forward again, a little closer. She holds her ground. I look her straight in the eyes

"And me… Do _I_ have to be kept in line too?"

"All men do… Since they don't do it themselves," she replies. I take a deep breath, and step to the side. She mirrors my movement. I look at her dubiously.

"Look… Motoko? I'm just bringing in a pizza. I'm not doing anything wrong. Keitaro knows me. And, if I do anything 'bad', I'm sure you're more than capable of beating the crap out of me. So, what's the problem?" She actually looks taken aback. I struggle to keep up my poker face, given how cute she looks that way.

"Logic thus dictates, to let me in," I conclude. Still glaring at me, Motoko steps aside. I walk past into the looming building, with the samurai girl following me.

"I'm watching you," she retorts. I roll my eyes.

"Whoop di doo…"

""""""""""""""""""""""

****

Tact

"They were in here, last night. Two guys, in a jeep. One was short and fat, the other was taller and messy. I want answers. _Now."_ The store clerk is staring at me in fear, and to be honest I don't blame him.

I've acquired the DNA of a WWE wrestler I met at an autograph signing, the DNA of a martial arts master, and the DNA of a messy, smelly thug in a back alley. You mix the morphs together, and you can have a pretty intimidating form to coax the locals with.

"Er… They… There are lots of men who come in and out of here," the store owner sys nervously. "I don't keep track of them all!"

"They were here last night, in a jeep. Tell me what they wanted," I growl, leaning over the counter and glaring down at the small man. He squeaks slightly in fear, before nodding his head rapidly.

"Yes, yes! They were here… They bought some pocky and soda! That's all I know!" I sigh deeply, before shooting the guy another glare and stalking off. Passing a few gawking bystanders, I slip into an alley and demorph. I morph to tiger, and take a deep sniff.

The two guys I smelled before… They were here, on the outskirts of Hinata Springs. I've followed the trail around the entire city, but the clues don't leave town. Ergo, the two assasins were locals.

However, I've yet to actually find out who they really were. I've been looking around, asking, sniffing - But no luck. What, did these guys _fly_ in here?

… Wait. _Fly._ Does that mean that, there's no way to find out?

""""""""""""""""""""""""

****

Next time: Keitaro is confronted by Haruka concerning some of his "activities", while Kanako meets up with Tact on the hunt.

R&R!


	8. The Truth

**'Love Hina: Adventures in Morphing!**

**Andrew Joshua Talon**

**DISCLAIMER: Myu! Myuuh!**

"""""""""""

**'Episode 6: Telling the Truth: Haruka**

""""""""""""

My name is Haruka Urashima.

And I realized that I had a slight problem.

I drew in a long drag from my cigarette, sitting on the porch of my tea house, staring out over the Hinata valley as the mid-day sun beat down upon it. A peregrine falcon was flying high overhead, gliding on the thermals with a grace foreign to any aircraft of man.

Or even Yeerk.

Yes, you heard me. The whole thing about the alien invasion, slugs crawling into people's heads and taking over their bodies, Andalite bandits, space battles-All true.

And how do I know this? Because I was one of them. A Controller.

I watched my young nephew enter the Hinata, wearing, seemingly, the weight of the world on his shoulders. The Yeerk in my head, Firniss-998, had taken perverse pleasure in the beatings my nephew received. I would have stayed out of it, yet, but I would have never let him just screw things up for himself, or make so many bad decisions.

The Yeerk wasn't interested in my nephew. She had more interest in the Asian group of so-called "Andalite bandits" that Visser 6, a prominent Controller in Japan, had been hunting and cursing for years. There'd been speculation about this second group of morphers, like there had been about the first group in the United States: Speculation regarding the true identity of these terrorists. Well, the Yeerks called them terrorists-The hosts called them freedom fighters.

Anyway, the idea was that the Andalites had violated Seerow's Kindess-Kind of like a Prime Directive, to never give out their technology to less-advanced races, again, as the one notable time they'd done it before they'd let loose the Yeerks-and given the morphing technology to humans.

But that was absurd. The Andalites were proud and arrogant, but they did not make the same mistake twice.

"Aunt Haruka?" I lifted my head from my brooding, and looked into the eyes of my nephew. I narrowed my eyes, but refrained from hitting him.

"Just Haruka, please," I said, suddenly feeling old as I puffed out a drag. He nodded, and waited expectantly. I took a deep breath.

"How was flying?" I asked, looking up at him. A flash of surprise was in his eyes, before it was covered by a small smile.

"So... You know."

"Yes. I do."

"When...?"

"A while ago... Wasn't too hard to figure out." I looked into his clear, brown eyes. He looked back, holding my gaze. I can't help feeling a bit surprised at how calmly he's taking this. Keitaro... The Keitaro I know would have been freaking out by now. But, I imagine, some of the things that he's gone through would make anyone grow up.

"So... You know about my flying lessons." I narrowed my eyes.

"No, you idiot!" Keitaro smiled slightly, his demeanor slightly more relaxed.

"A test, Haruka. Nothing more. Just making sure..."

"Keitaro, as I recall, you watched the last Yeerk leave the planet," I drawled, as he shrugged.

"Yeah... I did."

"So... Which one were you? The lion? The bear? The tiger?" I paused, and glared. "Make a _Wizard of OZ_ joke, and you suffer."

"Crossed my mind," Keitaro confessed, grinning genuinely now. I can't recall seeing this smile before, ever. It just seems to lift my spirits up, make me feel confident and happy. It's so free, so vivid...

_He never smiled this at you, because he knew... He _knew..._ He wasn't talking to _you, I thought.

"The lion, actually."

"King of the beasts?"

"Tact called the tiger, Sayoko called the bear. I got what was left."

"Ah... So, Kanako was the snake, and David, I believe...?"

"Panther. Or cheetah. It depended on some things."

"Ah..." I nodded, looking him up and down. I sighed deeply, looking down into my lap.

"It's hard to believe it's over, isn't it?"

"Pretty much, yeah..." Keitaro agreed. "No more risking life and limb to save the world every week."

"No more having my head shoved under the water of the Yeerk pool by a Hork Bajir," I added.

"No more killing."

"No more death." We looked at eachother, and shared a sigh.

"No more lies," he finished quietly, reaching down and taking my hand in his. I flushed slightly, before smiling at him, almost shyly.

"Hi. I'm Keitaro Urashima. Nice to meet you," he murmured, smiling down at me. I smile back, tossing the cigarette aside.

"Haruka Urashima. Likewise..."

"""""""""""

My name is Kanako.

"All I'm saying is, Moi _could_ have had the best batting average this year, were it not for that fine," groused a patron of the _Silver Eel_, a small sports bar on the main strip of the Hinata business sector. I sipped my drink, sitting in the shadows, my witch's hat covering my eyes as I watch the bustling establishment.

"C'mon... Moi's never had anything," argued another, glaring the first patron down. "Now Fusiyama, _that's_ a power hitter. He'd have had a perfect score this season were it not for that wrist injury."

"No way! Fusiyama's just a rookie! Moi's got experience, a keen eye-"

"And a penchant for drinking? Now I know why you look up to him," sneered the other, sitting up and stalking away from the bar. The bartender called after him.

"Hey! You have to pay for this!"

"He can handle it," the patron threw back, stalking out the door and onto the street. Silently, I got up and followed.

The noisy patron walked down the street, walking somewhat erratically. I could tell he was drunk, as he staggered into a nearby alley. I turned the corner, still following. He leaned against a trashcan, breathing deeply, as he grew in height and changed ethnic groups.

"Remind me never to drink in that particular morph again," Tact stated, turning around. He looked at me, and I looked back at him.

"Find anything?" I asked. I was never one for subtly with Tact-We were both so good at mind games, his by acting goofy, mine by acting emotionless, that to duel each other on that field would have driven us both mad.

"Nothing," he replied, sighing. "I checked on the families of the two men – Nobody wanted to see either of them again, or even talk about what they had been doing."

"You could have let me help. I can tell when someone is lying," I said quietly, making him wince. Good, he can read my moods well enough to know when I'm hurt.

"It's... I have to do this, Kanako."

"Not alone."

"..." He turned away, looking at the wall.

"You know I'm right, which is why you're acting like this," I continued, walking right up to him.

"... Yeah." I sighed deeply, putting a hand on his shoulder. He starts in surprise, looking at me over said shoulder. I'm not one to show physical affection much-I never have been, except with nii-chan.

"... So... What should we do?"

"What _you_ should do is come back," I said, glaring at him. "_Then_ we'll decide what _we_ do... Got it?" He smiled back, putting his hand on mine. He looks so much like nii-chan when he's smiling like that.

"Got it."

""""""""""""""""""

**Next time: Another attack by weird creatures, on Toudai! And Naru's one of the victims! How will Keitaro respond?**


	9. The Jig is Nearly Up

**'Love Hina: Adventures in Morphing!**

**Andrew Joshua Talon**

**DISCLAIMER: Myu! Myuuh!**

"""""""""""

**'Episode 7: A Little Insight: Not Quite Perfect! Keitaro**

""""""""""""

My name is Keitaro.

And I find myself, talking, letting out every secret, every truth, I have ever hidden, to my aunt, who is sitting there, patiently, listening to every word.

I have to confess, becoming the manager of this dormitory wasn't exactly in my plans two years ago. The Yeerks were nearing defeat, as some of our contacts (Yeerks who were against taking hosts by force) stated that the Andalites had begun to make strides against them, thanks in no small part to us.

Being whacked out of the Hinata Sou by a fiery redhead's super punch, in a towel, after being called a pervert, peeping tom, pedophile, etc. etc., was something I _really_ didn't need.

"So, if you've had this power for years," my aunt spoke, looking at me intently,"why didn't you use it? To hide or something." I sighed deeply, looking down at the ground.

"If Naru, or Motoko, or anyone else found out that I could morph... What do you think they would have done?" Haruka looked thoughtful.

"Hm... Motoko would think that you were a demon of some sort and try to purify you, Suu would conduct experiments, Naru would freak and probably never speak to you again, Shinobu would faint, and Kitsune would try to turn you into Visser Six." I looked up at my aunt, blinking strangely.

"Kitsune... What the..."

"Yes... You didn't know?"

"Um, well... No. I didn't," I confessed, feeling somewhat stupid. Kitsune was a Controller, and I didn't know?

"Sub-visser 985. But still, you haven't completely answered my question." I took a deep breath.

"I was... I almost got angry enough to use my power against them. I had... These vivid fantasies... Morphing lion, and smacking Naru through a wall in rage." I took a few deep breaths, the anger I thought I'd finally done away with gone.

"But you didn't."

"... No. How could I?"

"Yes... How could you..." Haruka looked up at me from her chair, contemplatively. She rubbed her chin, gazing at me up and down. I fidgeted, nervous.

"Keitaro... I'm not going to tell the girls about this." I nodded. I figured that, if she was going to, she'd have already done it by now.

"But, I want you to talk to me. I want you to share your true feelings." Her eyes were serious and open. "I want you to let down your mask."

"Mask?" I asked, confused. I'd come clean about being an Animorph, hadn't I? What more was there to talk about? Haruka shifted her legs, and I couldn't help but notice how her skirt rode up her legs-

_Stop it, Keitaro! Of all the times to act like the pervert you're not!_

"Your mask of authority... Of control. The mask you wear around your troops, and us," Haruka continued, never letting her gaze part from mine. I could do nothing but stare back, as though entranced.

"Let it go, Keitaro. I want to hear it all," she murmured, reaching up and pulling me into her lap. I was too confused to really do anything to stop her, as she held me, like a small child, against her bosom with her right hand at the back of my head, and her left around my waist. And I took my last breath as Keitaro Urashima, Animorph general, and breathed out as just Keitaro.

And I told her. About the screams of my victims. The roars of the Hork-Bajir. The horror of seeing Kanako chopped in half, of Tact lying lifeless in tiger morph, his neck broken, hearbeats away from death or being trapped in morph. Of David and I yelling at eachother about the best course of action, and Sayoko crying, breaking under the strain of being the mother of our group, as I was the father...

And we both cried, as the sun began to wane into the mountains.

""""""""""""""

My name is Tact.

And may I say this? I really, _really _hate sushi. To be frank, it sucks ass. It really does. Raw fish? Wrapped in rice? Ugh, give me a platoon of Hork-Bajir to fight any day over sushi. Seriously.

"You're drawing attention," hissed Kanako, as we sat together at the bar. She was in her "hot American supermodel" morph, and me? Some brutish thug morph I made by mixing together a few punks I knew and had acquired.

"How do you _eat_ this stuff? It tastes like-"

"Wait, no, let me guess: Crap?"

"Yes."

"Quit saying that! There... There he is," Kanako whispered. I discretely followed her gaze, and saw the guy she was pointing to. Jack Fitch, an American entrepreneur and former Controller.

Former _voluntary_ controller. As in, he'd willingly taken a slug into his brain. He'd enjoyed it. And he'd been spotted near the homes of the two guys who'd morphed those... Whatevers and murdered my mom.

And so, I was understandably jumpy. Jumpy, as in, "I want to morph tiger, jump, and rip his freaking throat out and tear open his stomach and devour his innards and throw them back up and-"

"He's talking to someone," Kanako whispered, moving up closer to me, acting like she was feeling me up. All part of the plan, I thought, as I played along. All part of the disguise.

At least, that's what I told myself.

"He's leaving," she whispered, before asking, a bit louder: "My place or yours?"

"Mmm... Definitely yours," I muttered back, and drowsily stood up and walked with her, out of the bar. We stumbled down the dark sidewalk, laughing drunkenly, Fitch ahead of us.

"He's going in there," Kanako whispered, hanging off my arm. "We'll morph, then go in."

"What about Sayoko and David?"

"They said they'd be here in an hour-They have, er... Chores to do."

"... Right. Never mind," I sigh. I feel angry at the two of them, but focus it back onto Fitch.

_He's the target, but stay calm, otherwise you won't get a shot at him..._

"Anyway, let's get going," Kanako continues, pulling me into an alley roughly. We quickly demorph, before beginning to morph into rat and cat, respectively. Kanako's cat morph is of her own black tabby, Kuro, while my rat is Roger, my old pet before I lost him in Dad and David's apartment.

Maybe he's still alive. Maybe not. Who knows?

_PREDATOR! RUN!_ Screams the rat brain, at Kanako. I ignore it, as I've done on many occasions, and scurry down the alley, through the garbage. I suddenly notice that Kanako's not with me.

Kanako? Hello? Where are you? 

... Tact? We may have a problem. 

Huh? I turn around, and scurry back as fast as I can go. My rat eyes are well suited to seeing in the dark, but smell is a more important sense to a rodent. Amid the stink of the garbage and other rat's droppings (kind of the rat media-Interesting, isn't it?), is a familiar scent. One I first experienced as a flying turtle in the Hinata.

The scent of a mid-twenties female, hopelessly saturated with booze.

Kitsune? What? So she's passed out on the pavement. Big deal. We can get her later. 

That's not the issue, Kanako growled at me, standing atop the KO'd woman.

And the issue is...? 

She saw us morph. Which is why she passed out. 

Um... I'm not following. How do you know? 

She screamed "HOLY SHIT! KANAKO!" before she fell. 

... Um... Uh oh. 

No kidding. 

""""""""""""""""""

**NEXT TIME: **Why don't you guys suggest something? What would you like to see? Shinobu become an Animorph? Naru get a Dracon beam gun? Motoko find the Time Matrix (aka Most Powerful Weapon in the Whole Frigging Universe)? LET ME KNOW!


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